I have always been fascinated by the Amish and their lifestyle. When I lived in Michigan, I would watch in fascination as they rode their horses to wherever they were going. At the time, they were just a group of people who dressed and acted differently from the rest of the people I knew, but with time, I became curious about their lifestyles and why on earth they had they seemed to farm the best fruits and vegetables I had ever tasted. They had their goods neatly stacked up in every farmer’s market and everything about them seemed to be very modest. If you are reading this, you know a thing or two about the Amish people, they live a simple, modest lifestyle and they do not seem to battle with many of the health problems that regular people battle with. In addition to living very simply and frugally, they simply do not avail themselves to modern conveniences like cars, washing machines, and the likes, but instead, they ride on their buggies, wash their clothes by hand, and farm all of their food by themselves. Although I am in no way suggesting that you do that, I have done some research and found some Amish habits that might be worth adopting for a healthy and prosperous life.
Eat Fresh Food Only
The Amish prefer to eat their food real and prepared from scratch, and this means that they are not popping leftover pizzas in the microwave on Saturday morning. The Amish usually grow their own food, and then harvest and cook it from beginning to end. Although you might live in a big city that doesn’t allow you to have a solid piece of land to grow and harvest your own food, it might be helpful to grow a few vegetables, or buy organic and cook your meals by yourself so that you can avoid to a reasonable extent eating foods that are infused with fertilizers, insecticides, and other harmful toxins.
Get Enough Sleep
It is true that life gets in the way and can keep us extremely busy, but getting in the right amount of sleep daily and consistently is a sure way to keep your body and mind alert and active. The Amish do this a lot, and that is how they are able to lead such productive lives. After they work hard every day, they make sure to go to their beds early enough so that they can get the right amount of sleep consistently. Because they live a life of very few modern conveniences, they have few distractions, which means that they aren’t up late into the night watching television, listening to the radio, taking selfies or denying themselves of the precious time they get to observe their rest period, and this is an important lifestyle tip to adapt.
Be Content
The world expects us to have everything figured at a certain age and take responsibility for those things. The world around us tends to place unrealistic expectations on our shoulders, and sometimes we might get carried away by focusing on the things that we do not have such as that new BMW, a better job, a slimmer physique, but when we don’t get all of those fancy things, we then become gloomy and depressed. Despite their decisions to remain modest and live with only the bare necessities, the Amish are still very grateful because they lead a life of not wanting much. When you live your life not wanting or expecting more, it allows you the opportunity to be grateful for what you already have, and when you are grateful, you will be a happy person, which will reduce your chances of depression and anxiety.
Natural Home Remedies
This one is definitely my favorite on the list because too many products in the stores these days hardly actually work like they say they would, and natural remedies have a proven and powerful track record of getting the job done. The Amish are very keen about nature and they are especially creative when it comes to using the raw materials in their immediate environment to cure their most pressing issues. This means that they do not use mainstream medicine and medial technologies when they are sick, but they like to use natural herbs and medicines to ward off illnesses that they encounter. Sometimes, this might bring even better relief than conventional medicine.
Simplify Your Life
Often times, the activities and routines that we pack into our days and schedules are not even really necessary to begin with. For you to be completely productive at work, it might be a good idea to cross off some irrelevant items from your list that might bog you down and overwhelm you instead of helping you become a person. The more you learn to take a deep breath and focus on the most important tasks ahead of you and doing them to the best of your human ability, the more your mental health will improve and stabilize. Learn to prioritize tasks, group, regroup and keep your mental health in good standing as you do so.
Embrace Friends and Family
One of the most obvious things about the Amish is that they have a strong sense of community and togetherness. The importance that friends and family have on our well being is often underrepresented in many ways. Society preaches that we need to be independent self- explorers who make our own happiness from within, and while it is true that we need to be happy with ourselves, and love ourselves first, we must also remember that having a support system is vital in maintaining a healthy mental and physical state. Having it at the back of your mind that there are a group of people on your side, and rooting for you is an amazing feeling that can curb depression, and give you a feeling of belonging and security. The Amish community members are usually surrounded by family and friends and they do a lot of things together.
Practice Mindfulness
This is a great way to maintain mental equilibrium and emotional stability. Whether or not you are spiritual or religious, taking out some time to be present and observe a quiet time will give you a feeling of peace, control, and stability. The Amish are very good at being mindful and mentally stable, and this goes hand in hand with being grateful and enjoying every moment as it comes. Instead of obsessively thinking about the future, the next day, or that pressing project, observe the world around you, be present and mindful like the Amish. You will be glad that you did.
Plan Ahead
If you want to dress comfortably to work the next day, or pack a salad, or even arrive at work thirty minutes earlier so that you can observe your quiet time, then do that by planning ahead of time. Decision making usually takes a long time to accomplish, so keep your schedule light and simple by making a list of what you need to do a day before to make the next day simpler, or simply do simple tasks that will contribute to the smooth running of the next day. Planning ahead does not mean that you have to obsessively think and worry about the future, it simply means that you are taking the necessary steps to keep your life less complex. The Amish are really good at planning ahead of time as well, and it is a habit that can significantly improve your life and your mental well being.
